Rocket launcher



w. v. GOODHUE ROCKET LAUNCHER Jan. 18, 1949.

Filed July 15, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l [hum f0?" IA/Ilium I/Gooo hue B3 1hm Attorney Jan. 18, 1949. w. v. GOODII-IUE ROCKET LAUNCHER 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1946 22% William l/Goodhue I 162 \160 l.1246 g W. V. GOODHUE ROCKET LAUNCHER Jan. 18, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 15, 1946 van for M/[zam VGcod/zue W. V-GOODHUE ROCKET LAUNCHER Jan. 18, 149

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed ul 15, 1946' fizz/6n far Ml/lam V Gooohue By hisAt torney Patented Jan. 18, 1949 ROCKET LAUNCHER William V. Goodhue,Ipswich, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation,Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 15,1946, Serial No. 683,674

12 Claims. i

' This. invention relates to rocket launching apparatus and isillustrated herein as embodied in a rocket. launcher capable of firing alarge number of rockets continuously in rapid succession and adapted tobe installed on a relatively small vehicle whether waterborne, of theland type, or amphibious.

In the use of one type of apparatus for launching rockets, a number ofrockets, representing the capacity of the launcher, may be installed ina series of racks all of which usually are loaded in preparation for anaction. If the capacity of this type of launcher is great enough toaiford a satisfactorily long period of continuous fire, its overall sizewould prohibit its use in many types of small craft or vehicles.Moreover, in the use of this type of launcher safety considerationsrequire the firing to be interrupted during the loading period.Consequently, the time required for loading even a small launcher is sogreat as compared with the time required for firing that the rate offire is seriously impaired.

In view of the foregoing, the object of the invention is to provide animproved rocket launcher which is so small and compact as to be suitablefor outboard installation on a small craft or vehicle and which is alsocapable of firing rockets continuously by rapid fire until the supply isexhausted, eliminating the dead time formerly entailed by loading.

According to the present invention, a small supply of rockets disposedside-by-side are fed, one-by-one, from one side of the line of fire intofiring position and are then fired immediately, the supply beingcontinually replenished at a safe distance from the blast of the firedrockets by a loading crew which passes the rockets to the loadingstation from the ready boxes of the craft or vehicle.

The above mentioned supply of rockets is contained in the illustratedlauncher in a magazine (inclined downwardly outward thereof and also inelevation) through which the rockets are fed by gravity into firingposition. The launcher also includes firing means constructed andarranged to be actuated by the falling of a rocket into firing positionto fire that rocket.

The rockets are fired electrically after the terminals of a firingcircuit are engaged by corresponding terminals on the rockets.Accordingly, it is evident that the rate of fire is limited only by thetime required for a rocket to leave the launcher after the firingcircuit has been closed plus the time required for the succeeding rocketto drop into firing position from the magazine.

Inventionris also to be recognized in the provision of means operated byand in synchronism with the falling of a rocket into firing position forclosing the firing circuit, whereby the operation-of the launcher ismade automatic if the usual local control switch is kept closed.

I In order to insure that the rockets will be delivered from themagazine into the firing position in the proper relation to the firingmeans, provision is made in the illustrated apparatus for controllingthe position of each rocket axially of itself continuously as itadvances down the outwardly and rearwardly directed slope of themagazine to the firing position and at the same time for insuringagainst any angular shifting of the rockets which would tend to causethem to be crowded against the end of the magazine so as to impede thefeeding movement. To this end, and

in the illustrated construction, the magazine is provided with a guiderail adapted to be engaged by the ends of the rockets, the rail beingdisposed obliquely with respect to the lower end of the magazine wherebythe leading portion of each rocket adjacent to the rail advances intoclear space and only the trailing portion of the end of the rocketengages the rail. Thus the advancing movement of a rocket consists of arolling action (induced by the outward slope of the magazine) directedlaterally of the rocket combined with a continuous sliding movementaxially of the rocket (induced by the elevation-of the magazine), thelatter movement beingunder the control of and limited by theabove-mentioned rail. On leaving the rail each rocket is positioned sothat its firing terminals will engage the firing terminals in the.firing circuit when the rocket falls into firing position.

The inventionalso make provision for the jettisoning of a mis-firingrocket. With this purpose in view, the illustrated apparatus comprises amovable launching way for supporting a rocket in firing position, theway being mounted for retraction from beneath the rocket whereby thelatter is permitted to fall out of the launcher. In connection with thisoperation and as another feature of the invention, the illustratedapparatus also includes means for preventing feeding of another rocketinto firing position when the above-mentioned launching way isretracted.

These and other features of the invention consist in certain devices,combinations and arrangements of 7 parts, hereinafter described andclaimed, the advantages of which will be apparent from thefollowingdescription taken in connection with. the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of an illustrative 1 rocketlauncher embodying the invention as arthe shape shown in Fig. 3.

ranged for a port-side installation on an amphibious craft, and asviewed from'an outboard position;

I I Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the launcheras viewed from an inboardposition; I

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the launcher at zero degrees elevationillustrating thejettisonin'g I of a misfired rocket, and alsoillustrating certain features of a typical installation of the launcheron a craft, the hull, deck and coaming of which 'fli's Fig. i is apartial side elevation of the launcher" are indicated in broken lines; I

as viewed from an outboard position; I

Fig. 5 is a partial rear elevation of the launcher showing a rocket infiring position; and i i Fig. 6 is a diagram of the firing circuit andwith studs it; Either one of these sets of studs is adapted to bemounted upon a pivotal bracket i8 (Fig. 2) one of which isfixed to eachside of the deck is of a craft so that either port and starboardinstallations. or both, may be made using launchers ofidenticalconstruction- The end sections l2 are connected by a series ofangle irons 28 which are arranged to extendlongitudinally of thelauncher. :A series of angle irons 22,

extend transversely'between and are fixed to the :angle irons 20, thearrangement of all the angle irons being such as to form a dihedralangle the upper side of which slopes downwardly outboard at an angle ofabout 30 degrees, the lower side being vertical. All these angles arecovered by a continuous plate 24 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is perforated forlightness and forms the bottom and inboard side of a magazine adapted tohold rockets R. I

The type of rocket illustrated herein comprises a cyclindrical body B(Figs. 1 and 4') having tapered ends and a tail assembly consisting -'ofa tube T containing the propellant, and a pair of contact bands C, Dwhich are fixed to the rear end of the tube. The bands are insulatedfrom each other and are electrically connected to the propellant in thetube T.

The ends of the magazine are formed'by plates Zdand webs 28 which arebolted to-the end sections '52. The top of the magazine is closed by acover at which is bolted to the plates 26 and webs 28. At the inboardside of the magazine there is an opening (Fig. 1) between the cover 39and the plate 2A through which rockets are loaded into the magazine. Atits outboard side the magazine is bounded by a grill comprising arectangular frame 32 (Figs. 1 and 4) having transverse members 34, theframe being fixed to the plates 26 in a vertical position.

The rockets roll through the magazine under the influence of gravityuntil they reach the grill and then descend vertically past a rotarygate 36 into the firing position which is that occupied by the lowerrocket illustrated in Fig. 5.

The gate comprises two spiders 38 (Figs. land 5) having three spokes tothe ends of which are fixed three'rods 46. The spiders are fixed toanother rod 42 the ends of which extend beyond the spiders and arejournaled in bearings 44 in the end plates 25. Braces connect the rod s2with the rods 40 at their mid-points.

In order to prevent anyupward movement of the rocket in firing position,orany such move- 5' ment of the other rockets. when one is fired, a

series of pawls 48 are hinged on the transverse members 34 in such aposition as to overlie and engage the upper part off'that rocket abovethe one in'firing position. -The pawls are provided with springs 5!}which first allow the pawls to yield as a rocket passes them, and thenmove the :pawls into their operative position over the rocket asillustrated in Fig. 5. I

The launcher is adjustable in elevation on the racket-2'8 and is thuscontrolled by an elevating hand crank .54. The launcher will usually beelevated above thehorizontalso that the rockets in the magazine tend toslide rearwardly thereof as they roll towardthe firing position. Thisrearward sliding movement. of the rockets is limited by a rail st (Figs.3and 4) which islfixed i to the plate 2 slightly oblique to the end ofthe magazine, diverging: rearwardly. of the iauncher tend to rally Theeffect of this arrangement is to keep the point of contact withthe.railifi of the :rearmostba'nd D on each rocket at the trailside of therocket. That is, the rockets tend,

owing to their rolling action, to move away from rockets. Furthertoinsure against disalinement of the rockets duringtheir feeding movement;

the bottom plate 24 is provided with two rows of buttons 5! (Fig. :1) ofrubber, or other suitable anti-slipping: material, which are adapted" tobe engaged by the cylindrical portion of the body B cf eachrocket. Itwill now beapparent from the foregoing that the rockets are fed throughthe magazine in parallelism with each other with a motion which is acombination of a rolling'action, induced 'by the downward and outwardslope of the magazine, with a longitudinal sliding motion, induced bythe downward slope of the magazine to the rear. During the verticaldescent of each rocket into firing position, the band D engages anotherrail '58 (Figs. 4 and 5), which "is a continuation of the rail 56, andis 50 mounted on the plate 24 as to permit a slight rearward movement ofa rocket falling into firing position.

The rocket in firing position is supported by a launching way Bil, theends of which are attached to a pair of levers iii, each lever beingpivoted to one of the plates 25 by means of a stud '64. The levers areheld in their position as illustrated in Fig. 5, during the normaloperation of the launcher, by mechanism which is also arranged to swingthe levers and hence the launching way 60 from beneath the rocket infiring position to jettison it in case of a 'misfire. This mechanismcomprises a pair of toggle links 66, 68 associated with each of thelevers 62 and 65 a pair of operating rods I0, each rod at its lower endbeing connected to one pair of thelinks by a pin 12. The links 68 ateach end of the launcher are fixed to the ends of a shaft 74 which isrotatably mounted on the plates 26 in bearings 7 16. The links 66 attheir lower ends are pivotally connected to the levers 62 by pins 78.The upper ends of the operating rods 10 are slidably supported inbearings '80 (Figs. 1 and 3) which are fixed to the webs 28. Handles 82are adjustably fixed to the rods and normally are mechanism 52 (Fig- 3)which is operated by a,

away from the direction in which the rockets the races rather than to becrowded against it. I thereby insuring a free rolling action of the 5.yieldingly held against the bearings 80 by compression springs 84, thesprings being interposed between the bearings 80 and stop collars 86which may be adjustably fixed to the rods "I so as to provide anysuitable pressure in the springs 84.

Fixed to the plate 26 just below the rail 58 is a stop 88 (Figs. 3, 4and 5) which, by engagement with the band D of the rocket in firingposition, locates that rocket with its bands C, D in register withfiring knives 90, 92. The knives extend through openings 94 in the plate24 near the lower edge thereof and are mounted on heavy springconductors 96, 98 respectively, the latter being housed in a box I00fixed to the lower corner of the launcher at the inner side thereof. Theknives 90, 92 are electrically connected in series with a source ofpower by conductors (Fig. 6) through a safety switch I02 (Figs. 1 and 5)whichis fixed to the frame 32.

Fixed to the launching way 60 is a rail I04 having a beveled edgeadapted to be engaged by the body B and bands C, D of the rocket infiring position, particularly to insure that the bands of the rocketwill be held in contact with the firing knives 90, 92. In addition, therocket is confined laterally between the rail I04 and the plate 24 atthe inward side of the rocket for the purpose of directing the initialflight of the rocket. The rail I04 may be adjusted laterally to insureproper contact of the bands C, D with the firing knives, not only byadjusting the position of the handle 82 on the operating rod I0, butalso by repositioning the launching way 00 with respect to the levers62. To permit the latter adjustment, the launching way 60 has fixed toeach end thereof a bracket I06 having elongated slots adapted to receivebolts I08 which are carried by the levers 62. The rail may thus beadjusted within the scope of the slots in the bracket I06. Thisadjustment is facilitated by set screws IIO which are threaded into lugsI I2 fixed to the levers and which are adapted to bear against the outersides of the launching way 60 adjacent to each end thereof. At a levelslightly above that of the rail I04 the rocket in firing position isfurther guided laterally by another rail I I 4, the ends of which arefastened to the end plates 26.

In order to avoid short circuiting the bands 0, D of the rocket infiring position, each of the rods 40 has a reduced portion II 0 at eachend which provides a clearance space between each rod and the forwardband C. Similarly the launching way 80 is provided with a recess USwhich receives the band C with clearance; and the rail I04 is coveredwith a layer of insulating material (not shown) in the way of the bandsC, D.

Assuming the magazine to be fully loaded, the rockets will lie side byside in contact with each other except in the case of the rocket infiring position and the succeeding one which, as illustrated in Fig. 5,are separated by the gate 36. The weight of that rocket above the one infiring position holds the gate against the latter rocket. Consequently,the gate and the way 60 cooperate to confine the rocket vertically andhence direct the rocket in its initial flight in accordance with theelevation of the launcher. With the gate 36 in this position itsuppermost rod 40 engages a plunger I20 which holds the safety switch I02closed. The plunger is mounted to slide vertically in a bearing I22fixed to one end of the frame 32 and is normally urged away from theswitch by a spring I24. Provision for adjustment of the plungerrelatively to the switch is afforded by lock nuts I26 which are threadedon the upp end of the plunger. The firing circuit will also include, atthe firing station, a manually operated switch I2! (Fig. 6) which can beclosed momentarily to fire the rocket in firing position and then openedbefore the succeeding rocket arrives in the firing position, whenever itis esired to operate the launcher by single-fire. When the switch I2! isheld closed the launcher fires automatically by rapid fire, the firingbeing timed by the closing of the switch I02.

Immediately following the departure of the fired rocket from thelauncher, the succeeding rocket falls into firing position causing thegate 36 to be rotated one-third of a revolution. At the beginning ofeach rotation of the gate the plunger I20 is released, opening thefiring circuit. Thereafter no rocket can be fired until the switch I02is again closed by the above described action of the gate 30 on theplunger i20. Hence, any danger of harm to the launcher or to theoperating personnel which would result from firing a rocket which isdisalined with the launching way is prevented.

Up to the time when the last rocket in the magazine is to be fired therocket next succeeding that in firing position causes the gate 36 tohold the switch I02 closed. However, when the last rocket in themagazine drops into firing position, the gate 30 is operated by a camlever I 20 to close the switch. This lever is pivoted at I30 to one ofthe end plates 26 and is normally urged in a clockwise direction by aspring I32 against a stop pin I34- carried by the end plate 26. Thespring is stretched between the upper end of the lever I28 and a clip Iwhich is fastened to the plate 2-6. The lower arm of the lever I28 iscrescent shaped, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and is adapted to be engagedby pins I38 which are fixed to an index plate I40 carried by the shaft42 outside one of the plates 26 and just inside the adjacent lever 02.

Each time when a rocket descends into firing position the uppermost pinI38 engages thelever I28, and swings it in a counterclockwise directionthereby tensioning the spring I32. As soon as the pin passes a deadcenter position (where the greatest displacement of the lever I28occurs) the tension in the spring I32 causes the lever I28 to drive thegate 36 into the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 5 wherebythe switch I02 is closed. This action of the lever I28 takes placewhenever a rocket falls into firing position but is relied upon to closethe switch I02 only when the last rocket in the magazine falls intofiring position.

It will now be apparent that rockets may be fired from the illustratedlauncher continuously in rapid succession so long as the firing circuitis kept closed at the firing station by means of the switch I21.The-speed of firing is limited only by the time required for a firedrocket to leave-the launcher and for the next succeeding rocket to dropinto the firing position. Moreover, the firing of each rocket iseffected automatically as soon as it has dropped completely into thefiring position, the firing of the rocket being timed by the closing ofthe switch I02.

If the firing is interrupted by a rocket which misfires, that rocket isjettisoned by pulling one of the handles 82 so as to swing the launchingway-60 from beneath the rocket in firing position, thereby allowing thatrocket to fall out of the launcher. Whenever the launching way 60 isthus retracted, the gate 36 is immobilized in order index". plate I 49;moves. into the path: of-.the upper- 1 most pin I38 on theplatelAccordingly, whema rocket is-jettisoned the rotationofithe gatelzfi isrstoppedas soon as the uppermost-pin I38 engagese the lug i s; and'thepin is not released'by the lug been? descnbedias$.81I1b0di6diliflii0fl8z: endzi at :the a launcher: arezta'lsoduplicatedzinl the'zother :emd: of: the launchers... The launcherisnonsuclmflengthtasi: to cause the :bodiesaBrof the rockets :to:engaeer-z both t-rows's'ofsbuttons--5liiregardlessrxof'rwhiclivofr therails 256i srengagedfbyathe;rockets. Looking at: Fig-:1 2; asr anstarboard L: installation ofi: the; launcher; itstrightshandi end,fwillr. be :swungrdowne toipermih thewrightehand-z:studsr:' l 6 tc ssbeassent-e I until the launching way, 60 "has beenmoved farr'loiblediwith" the. rightehand pivotal brackets IN enough toward its normalposition to: catch them next rocket as it drops into firing position:

The elevating mechanism 52 has abase IM (Figs. 1 and'3) adapted tobesecur-edntda-padu (brokenzlines-r, itbeingz understood tthatalonnanycraft intended to rcarryfibothcportz .andwstarboardaa installationsthercraf-ti will ha provided'ton zeachside=withaa pivotal-fibracketdsland a-padwI4irtm I46 by bolts I 8 W ch p s through elongated:;receive'the'base M Lof theelevatingggean fla.

slots in the base so as to pennit-1ateraLadjust-- ment of theibase With.respect torthe pads The:- length of the slots is also sufficientto'permit: the.-. base lMto' be slid inboard on the pad' I46'far:

The: use" and: operation of: the: illustrated? launchernvill novwbebriefly summarizedxi Let *it lbe assumeda that thet-laun'chen rhasxbeen' completely loaded; one rochet ,-..the -lowen one enough to beclear of-"the outer side of? the craita whichtrests upon:the;launchingwayefill being in when the launcher is removed from the craft; A shaft259 is rotatably'mounted in a bearing E52- Which is integral withthe-base144, and at its ine-- board end is provided with a socket E54which re--.-- ceivesthe'crank 54 the shaft I59 meshes with anotherbeveledzgear" I58; the latter gear being fixed to a shaft I60, the

upper portion of which is threaded. The lower: end of the shaft ESE isrotatably-mounted 'in a.-

the firingq positionn At: this-timetthe' contact bands G; D1. of thetr-ocketrini firingcpositionc are: engaged/by the Airing: knives Bil,92-, respectively, and the switch i {I2- sis-held Fin..itsi-closed-nposition:I

A beveled gear I56 fixed to ,b the-.plunger= I ZOQWhichahassbeenactuatedthyy the gate-361a Therocket'finfiring positiontw-illsbec firedimmediately 51113011! ther-closingq OfTthBTSWitCh I 21 "whichis;under-the i-c'ontrolfiof'r the: operator: at thewfiringgstationi IfthiSnSWitCh? isvhel-d Iclosed;

bearing Which s o d to Swivel 'a lugcntheientirezsupplmofzjrocketsinzthe. magazine wilhv I64 formed integral with the base I44; The shaftifiii-is threaded into'anut I66having tron nions i 58 which arerotatably mounted. on a sup port l'iil; The support is at the commonjunc be:-f.red :infrapid succession; the firings- 01 each-L rocket.heingatimed by'themperation! ofnthe'switchl- 292 im the: followingmanner? As: 500m: 389%.. rocket in. firingrpositionvlist'firedjithe::gate=13 -is-:.s

tion of a plurality of braces consisting of a pair rctated in responsestor'the falling :movementi oft'i angle irons i #2 which extend to theopposite low-'- er inboard corners of the end sections I2, a sec-. 0ndpair of angle irons [14 which extend to thee opposite upper corners ofthe end sections I2; and..."

the: next: rocket xinto (the; firing-.sposition: During .1 theinitialirotati'olrof :the gate; the uppempinzl 3H onethedndexzplate-r Iengages thetleven. I28 causingnthe lower." endaofs; thisileveiutoibeiswungai another angle iron H6 which extends to the mid-. 4Qg y inboardcf themaunmer against?! point of the'lower angle iron 20; Itwill now berevident that as the crank 54 is turned, the eleva-l tion of the launcherwill be altered as it swings either up or down about the pivotal bracketI8i Each bracket 58 comprises a padd'lfl-whichis i5 To the top of theplate E84 are fixed-apair of lugs I86 which are adapted to-receivethezstudsis I5 carried by the lugs M on the frame of: the" magazine. Theplate [84' is normally held, against any'movement with respect to thepad theutension offthefspr-ing: I321: This rotatiom of.{)hELgBA'JBk-Etlildi index :tplate F I 40 iis :contihued runner-s: the.driving effect-lot the rocket fallihgrinto firing; position: until:vthat; pine; I382 which engages tthe'i lever I I ZB'Ehasmoved:pastflitszdead center-position:

During thenfinalnwvement of the: rocket inte n firin position, whenit'hasanc tencIencyPtou-otatee the gate- 36, the lever I 28" bearsuponthe pin I33 and causes the "rotation "of the gate tomecontinueduntil the rod dfl' above' the-rocketin firing positionisbroughtinto engagement "therewith; At the-end-of each-suchrotative movement-"ofthe gate, oneof itsrodsWUe-ngages the plunger I20? "shy a Second shaftwawhich passes liftsit; and therebycloses'the'switch-I02f Thus;

the plate and also through a pair of lugs I 90 Which extend upwardlyfrom the pad-near its outboard edge. If the launcher "is'dismounted -tthe plate Iildmay be moved to an-inboard'posieach rocketis' fired"-automatically upon' its arrival in the firingpositiony Ordinarily; thegate is driven toward the end of each movement" by, the Weightofthe'rocket next to the leading tion', clear of the outer sideof thecraft, by re- (ifldi as Well as by t e lever I28; but when the movingthe-shaft 188' and swinging the plateinwardly towards the coaming.

A port-side installation of the illustrated launcher, as illustrated inFig. 2, may be" converted into a-starboard-sideinstallation by usinggthe following procedure: the stop 88' which limits the rearward positionoftherocketin firing position is removed from the left-handrend of thelauncher (Fig. 2) andreinstalled on the other end of the launcher.knives 9!! and 92 are'to be reinstalledin a box. I92 I similar tGthBIbOXme. It is-also towbe understood thatnall features of thelaunchervrelating to the guiding of the rocketsinto thevfiring -posi-,

last 'rocket'in the launcher moves into the firing position, the finalrotation of the gate which closesthe switch I02 is derived from theaction, of the lever vI 28"alone.

If the firing. should be interrupted by the failure of alrocket tofiie,.that rocket can be jets tis-oned by pulling. upon thenhandle 82which causes the launchlngway BlLtobe retractedirom' beneathithe.misfired rocket. as illustratedlinfigw The rocketl in firing position.is thus 1permit ted toadrop, out of :thedauncher, but the succeed? ingrockets areeprevented from advancing toward. the. firing'position by,the gate-3B- which is im mobilized-whenever the daunching v wayi-ismoved tion (such. as the rails 56'andl58) which. have 7 outofnitsoperative.positiombmtheengagementcot:

9 the lug I42 on the lever 62 with the upper pin I38 on the index plateI48.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is: it

1. A rocket launcher comprising a magazine, a launching way arranged tosupport a rocket in firing position, said magazine being inclineddownwardly toward said launching way whereby I rockets are fed bygravity into firing position from said magazine, means for firing arocket when in firing position, said means comprising a firing circuithaving terminals arranged to be engaged by corresponding terminals onthe rocket in firing position, a switch, and means lm actuated by arocket during its movement into firing position for closing said switch.

2. A rocket launcher comprising a sloping magazine adapted to receive aplurality of rockets and having a movable launching way onto which i-zgorockets are fed by gravity into firing position, a gate for controllingthe feeding movement of the rockets into firing position, means forretracting said launching way from beneath a rocket in firing positionto jettison that rocket, 5 and connections between said means and saidgate constructed and arranged to immobilize said gate when said way isretracted whereby feeding movement of the rockets into firing positionis prevented.

3. A rocket launcher comprising a sloping magazine adapted to receive aplurality of rockets and having a movable launching way toward which therockets are fed by gravity from said magazine, said way being mountedand arranged to support a rocket in firing position, a gate forcontrolling the feeding movement of the rockets into firing position,operator-controlled means constructed and arranged to retract said wayfrom beneath the rocket in firing position Whereto by that rocket isjettisoned, and means for simultaneously immobilizing said gate wherebyfeeding movement of the succeeding rockets is prevented while said wayis retracted.

4. A rocket launcher comprising a magazine adapted to receive aplurality of rockets, a launching way onto which the rockets are fedfrom said magazine, said way being arranged to support a rocket infiring position, a gate constructed and arranged to separate the rocketin firing position from the next succeeding rocket, means for retractingsaid way from beneath the rocket in firing position to jettison thatrocket, and connections between said means and said gate forimmobilizing said gate when said way is retracted thereby to preventfeeding movement 'of the said next succeeding rocket.

5. A rocket launcher comprising a sloping magazine adapted to receive aplurality of rockets,

a launching way toward which the rockets are ($0 fed by gravity fromsaid magazine, said way being arranged to support a rocket in firingposition, a rotary gate having a plurality of spacing bars, successivebars being arranged to receive therebetween the rocket next succeedingthat in firing position, means for moving said launching way frombeneath a rocket thereon in firing position to permit the rocket to falloff said way, and

a stop actuated by said means for preventing rotation of said gate untilsaid launching way has been returned to its original position.

6. A rocket launcher comprising a magazine adapted to receive aplurality of rockets, a launching way toward which rockets in saidmagazine are fed by gravity, said way being arranged to support a rocketin firing position, saidway being mounted to swing from beneath a rocketthereon in firing position, operator-controlled mechanism for operatingsaid launching way to jettison a, rocket in firing position, a freelyro- 'tatabl'e gate adapted to be rotated by the movement of a rocketinto firing position from said magazine, and means for preventing saidgate 'from rotating when said way is swung, said means comprising anindex plate associated with said gate, a stop mounted for movement intothe path of said plate, and connections between said mech- "anism andstop for moving said stop into its operative position when saidway isswung away from beneath a rocket in firing position.

7. A rocket launcher comprising a magazine adapted to hold rocketaalaunching way on which a rocket is supported in firing position, a"movable gate arranged to be operated by the movement of a rocket fromsaid magazine into firing position, a firing circuit including a ter-*minal' arranged to be engaged by a corresponding terminal on the rocketin firing position and a switch, a member for operating said switchdisposed in the path of movement of said gate, and means for imparting alimited movement to said gate beyond that imparted to said gate by themovement of a rocket into firing position, whereby said gate is causedto actuate said operating member to close said firing circuit.

8. A rocket launcher comprising a magazine adapted to hold rockets, alaunching way on which a rocket is supported in firing position, arotary gate arranged to be rotated by a rocket in its movement from saidmagazine into the firing position, a firing circuit including a switcharranged to be opened and closed by said gate, and a yieldingly mountedlever constructed and arranged to be moved first in one direction and tobe energized by said gate and then to move in the opposite direction todrive the gate beyond the position into which it was driven by therocket in firing position whereby said switch is operated by said gateto close the firing circuit.

9. A rocket launcher comprising a magazine adapted to receive aplurality of rockets, a gate mounted for rotation and adapted to bedriven by a rocket in its movement from said magazine into firinposition, said gate comprising a plurality of bars one of whichseparates that rocket in firing position from the next succeeding rocketand prevents the feeding of the latter rocket until that in the firingposition has been fired, a firing circuit including a terminal arrangedto be engaged by a corresponding terminal on the rocket in firingposition, and a switch operated by said gate for successively openingand closing said firing circuit during the movement of the said nextsucceeding rocket into firing position.

10. A rocket launcher comprising a sloping magazine adapted to receive aplurality of rockets side by side parallel to each other, means forsupporting a rocket in firing position, said means being mounted forretractive movement from beneath the rocket in firing position tojettison that rocket, means operable in synchronism with the retractivemovement of said last-mentioned means for preventing the movement of thenext succeeding rocket from said magazine toward the firing position,and means for firing the rocket in firing position comprising a firingcircuit including a terminal adapted to be engaged by a correspondingterminal on the rocket in firing position.

d1. lln, ra rocketolaunchem aeslopir gvma-gazine .501xsmaintaining-r-the-IGCkfitSi in;,;-.parallelism with z i eaoh other; as gthey roll:through; the-:magazine, and guide; rail mountedoobliquely lat-wone xendof said magazine wwherebytthe-width of; the :base

.ief the 1 magazine constantly increases 1 as tithe 1:12 "it-he :tailsof the-rockets, saidrail also being-arranged to diverge from thedirection of rolling -:moti0n; of the rockets whereby only the trailingportions of the said'tails engage said rail.

-WILLIAM V. GOODHUE.

,-,REFERENCES CITED ll-he: following references are of record in the11;o,ckets;, admnee-lthrough: saidlmagazineandronly ilo fil this. atent.tne ,irailing portions :-Df.- the-ends -.of.-. thelsroekets l p enage-said, rail.

l 12. Ill-53. rocketwlauneher, ias slppingumegazine sadaptedxto receive.alplurali tyvof; rockets ldi sposed ..,ther.eon land,arrangedotorberengaged: bydthe tnfiyside by ,side; parallel: to eachJQtherMthe;zbase-vof said.magazine-havingspaeedanti slipping trackslindrical. body; portion ("of each zl'rocket whereby the rockets areLmaintainedzrin, parallelism -.with

.each. other last. they" roll through saidwmegazine .andoalguiderailmounted, atmne end :ofwsaid meg- ;azine, .said. .railbeipgmadapteditoqbe rengaged by UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 7Date {1,108,716 Davis Aug. '25, 1914 16 11 ,310,053 aBrower "July15,1919

11.349335!) Tunks' Aug 10, 1920 7 2,088,503 "Broussard July 27, 1937;;2:,359;517 Gebeau Oct: 3,.1944

"FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 405,159 Great-Britain Feb. 1, 1934

